Introduction
Meat is a common ingredient in different food preparations and chances are that you have some pieces in your fridge right now. When it comes to preparing meat, most people don’t mind how they cut the meat. If cooking is in your blood, you might be aware that there are different ways to cut meat. Besides, some recipes may require you to cut thin slices of meat. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to slice meat thin as this article will guide you step by step, explaining how to do it. Moreover, you will get to see what you might need in your kitchen to achieve uniformly thin slices.
What do you need to cut thin slices of meat?
Before you know how to slice meat thin, let’s first look at what you require in your kitchen for the job. Without these kitchen accessories, it will be tough for you to get the desired thickness. Here is some of the equipment you need to have to cut thin slices of meat.
A very sharp knife – Most people never remember to sharpen their knives, especially at home. Unfortunately, if you want to cut thin slices of meat, a sharp knife is a must. It will be hard for you to get a uniform thickness when using a blunt knife. A long sharp knife such as the butcher knife is the best
Freezer or fridge – You need one of the two pieces of equipment to harden the meat. Frozen meat is more comfortable to cut through and results in uniformly thin slices. Meat at room temperature slides on the cutting board and lacks firmness, making it hard to cut thinly
Meat slicer – This equipment comes in handy when you have large chunks of meat to slice. If you find the Best Meat Slicer, you will not only get the desired thickness but also save time
Cutting board – To make it easier to cut the meat, a cutting board is essential in the home kitchen. A wooden board is better as it prevents sliding as you cut through frozen meat
You may be having all these pieces of equipment and still fail to cut thin slices. The following are simple steps on how to slice meat thin. First things first, we’d want to remind you that there is no rocket science in cutting thin slices of meat. Even if it’s your first time on it, following these steps makes it a lot more fun.
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Freeze the raw meat
The first step before slicing is freezing the meat. This helps to harden the meat making it much easier to slice. Placing the meat in a freezer for 20 to 30 minutes is enough to give the right firmness. However, you may need to wait an hour or two if you are using a fridge.
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Ensure your knife is sharp
After placing the meat in the freezer, you should check whether your knife is sharp enough. If you realize that it’s not sharp, sharpen it as a blunt knife will disappoint you.
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How to slice meat thin after freezing
Once you remove the meat from the freezer, place it on the cutting board. Ensure the cutting board is clean and dry. After setting it on the board, check for the direction of the grain. This is easy to determine and if you look closely at the frozen meat, you should be able to see lines. You should cut the meat against those lines. Slicing by stroking forward and backward with the knife gives a smooth outline on the slices. Follow the movement of the blade with your eyes to ensure slice uniformity. However, you can find the Best Home Meat Slicer if you’re used to large pieces of meat.
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Cutting cooked meat into thin slices
We have already gone through cutting thin slices of raw meat. However, sometimes you may cook meat before slicing. And if you don’t know how to slice meat thin, cooked meat may be a bit harder for you. So how do you do it for the best?
There is no significant difference between slicing raw and cooked meat. But for cooked meat, freezing is not necessary. When the meat is adequately cooked, allow it to cool for like ten minutes. Ensure you place the cooked meat on the cutting board so that you cut across the grain. Hold down the meat firmly with one hand against the board. With the other hand, slice vertically making sure thickness is almost the same.
Bottom line
Cutting meat may sound easy to most people. But when it comes to cutting thin slices of meat, most people find it hard. Knowing how to slice meat thin can help you prepare amazing recipes at home for your family or visitors. You only need to gather a few pieces of equipment, and you will be good to go. Most people don’t realize that some of the delicacies you find in big hotels are easy to make at home. Don’t just cut pieces of meat, make it look professional by cutting thin slices of meat.
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